THE opening of the 300–room Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort is set to enhance Mactan’s image as a premiere leisure and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) destination in the country.
Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) formally opened its first luxury resort hotel on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat said the RLC’s entry to the luxury accommodation market is a testament to the conglomerate’s “belief and commitment not only to the tourism industry of Cebu but to the entire Philippines.” She thanked the late John Gokongwei for investing in tourism as this meant creating more employment opportunities for Cebu and the country.
“It’s an exciting time (for Cebu) and there’s no better time to be a stakeholder in the country’s tourism but now,” said Puyat, adding that Cebu is currently enjoying the global attention of being the 2019 second Best Island in Asia by international travel magazine, Condé Nast Traveler.
Puyat also lauded the recent award obtained by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in the World Architecture Festival 2019, saying this has added value to Cebu being a premier tourist destination. MCIA’s Terminal 2 won in the festival’s “Completed Buildings: Transport” category, beating other global transport hubs besting Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport and Turkey’s Istanbul Airport.
The tourism chief also thanked Cebu’s contribution in the country’s recent recognition as one of the world’s leading diving destinations in the 2019 World Travel Awards held in Muscat, Oman. Puyat said the province’s premiere dive spots have helped the country bagged the global award for the first time.
Moreover, Puyat said there is so much to anticipate for Cebu in the coming years as it prepares for the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021. She said history buffs all around the globe will set their eyes on Cebu as it celebrates an important turning point in the country’s history.
She said Mactan Island will play an important role in the celebration as it also commemorates the victory of Lapulapu over Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.
“In the coming months we will be sharing with you the activities,” said Puyat, adding that she will come back to Cebu for the 2021 countdown.
Managed by Thailand’s Dusit International, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort is a five-star beachfront resort located on the northwestern tip of Mactan Island in Barangay Punta Engaño.
Lim Boon Kwee, chief operating officer of Dusit International, said the combination of Filipino and Thai hospitality and grace will be the edge and attractive selling point of the resort.
“We believe that the result will be truly special,” he said.
The resort hotel boasts of its signature 100-meter long infinity pool that seems to merge with the sea. With its complete facilities, the resort is also poised to become the venue of choice for Mice events, especially weddings. It has six event venues with the 1,235-square-meter Dusit Ballroom, the biggest so far in Mactan. (KOC)